Pod living is becoming a new trend in prefab design — small houses carefully designed to contain everything you need to sustain yourself in a small space. Broisson Architects of Naucalpan, Mexico has a new design for a prefab and modular pod house – Shelter No 2. This three-story home is designed for any socio-economic level, and contains enough room sleeping space for 3, a kitchen, reading and living area and hydroponia area. Able to be constructed at a speedy pace and built from recycled materials, the architects think this home could be a model for affordable housing.

The tiny pod was first built during an exhibition in 2008 as a thank-you to UGS Mexico, and was granted space this summer at the Hacienda la Concepción at Tepotzotlán México. There are 3 levels inside connected by a central spiral staircase – the first contains the hydroponia areas; the second has a kitchen, reading area, living room and bathrooms, and the third has two bedrooms, a study and a closet. Construction time for the shelter is fast and additional modules can be added for more space. The small house itself is also constructed from 90% recycled materials.

Admittedly, the space looks tight, and it seems improbable that all of the space it holds could actually be contained within — but that’s exactly the point of small pod homes. Pods are by no means simple. A lot of design and engineering go into shrinking luxurious living into a smaller area, so there is definitely something to be said for living in so little square footage. Broissin’s ability to pack in all the necessary components of a home into such a small volume is intriguing, and we really hope to see one in person one day!